Twice Upon a Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

2nd “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; 西安 (Xī’ān)/chess.com, December 5, 2020

Sicilian Defence B30

The ninth and last round featured a rematch between 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Muzychuk. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. 0-0 Nge7 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qb6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Ng6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Na4 Qc7 11. c4 c5 12. f4 Bb7 13. Nc3 0-0 14. Qh5!?TN (14. Bd2 f5 15. exf5 exf5 16. Qc2 Bf6 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Qb6 19. Bxf5 Qxb2 20. Rad1 Qxc2 21. Bxc2 Bd4+ 22. Kh1 d6 23. g3 Rab8 24. Bb3 Rfe8 25. Rfe1 Kf8 26. Kg2 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Ne7 28. Kf3 Rc8 29. Rc1 Re8 30. g4 Nc8 31. Re1 Rxe1 32. Bxe1 Nb6 33. Ke4 Bg1 34. h4 c4 35. Bc2 Nd7 36. g5 h6 37. Bc3 hxg5 38. hxg5 Kf7 39. Bd1 g6 40. a4 Nc5+ 41. Kf3 Nb3 42. Kg4 Bd4 43. Bxb3 Bxc3 44. Bxc4 Bd2 45. Kf3 Kg7 46. Kg4 Kf7 47. Kf3 Kg7 48. Ke4 ½ : ½ Nevednichy – Krasenkow, 5th Purtichju Open, Porticcio 2018) 14. ... Qd6 15. Qe2 f5 16. Be3 Qb6 17. Rad1 Rad8?! The siren’s song draws Muzychuk in the mirage of tactics. Sounder seems 17. ... fxe4 18. Bxe4 (18. Nxe4 d5) 18. ... Bxe4 19. Nxe4 Rad8 with good equalising chances. 18. exf5 Nh4. The tactical corollary of Black’s 17th move.

19. fxe6! Bxg2 20. Rf2. There is also much argument in favour of 20. Nd5! which forces 20. ... Bxd5 21. cxd5 with great advantage to White. 20. ... Bh3 21. Nd5?! 21. exd7 Rxd7 22. Nd5± seems more accurate. 21. ... Qxe6 22. Bd2 (22. Qh5 Bf5) 22. ... Bd6 23. Qxe6+. 23. Qh5 Qg4+ was a safer way of exchanging Queens, while retaining a more definite equality. 23. ... dxe6 24. Nc3 Be5. Muzychuk in turn puts safety first — when maybe with 24. ... g5!↑ Black could claim the initiative. 25. fxe5 Rxd3 26. Rxf8+ Kxf8 27. Bf4 Rf3 28. Bg3 Nf5 29. Ne4

29. ... h5?? Badly blundering a piece. The correct continuation should be 29. ... Nxg3 30. hxg3 Bf5 with equality. 30. Ng5+− Re3 31. Nxh3 h4 32. Bf4 Rxh3 33. Rd8+ Ke7 (33. ... Kf7 34. Kg2+−) 34. Bg5+ Kf7 35. Kg2. The Rook has no escape. 35. ... Re3 36. Bxe3 Nxe3+ 37. Kf3 Nxc4 38. Ke4 Nxb2 39. Rd7+ Kg6 40. Rxa7 Nd1 41. a4 Nc3+ 42. Kd3 Nd5 43. a5 Nb4+ 44. Ke4 c4 45. Rc7 Nd5 46. Rxc4 Kf7 47. a6 1 : 0.

Not too surprisingly, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) won this year (as well as last) the first prize in the “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Summit, one point ahead of all others. Photo: 闫斌 (Yán Bīn).